Optimal Motivation at Work

This chapter reviews both theory and research on autonomous self‐regulation as a form of optimal motivation in the workplace. It discusses the metatheoretical and theoretical underpinnings of self‐determination theory (SDT). The chapter focuses on both theory and research on intrinsic life goals as a set of optimal aspirations in the workplace. It reflects on how managerial support for basic psychological needs might facilitate autonomous self‐regulation and the pursuit of intrinsic life goals among employees in the workplace. The chapter offers several directions for future research on optimal motivation in the workplace using the perspective of SDT. It examines a conceptual model based on SDT in which managerial need support is associated with optimal motivation among employees, which in turn is associated with psychological wellness, social integration, physical health, behavioral persistence, and performance in the workplace.